Tonsorial instrument



Dec. 28, 1965 D. c. PERsYN TONSORIAL INSTRUMENT Filed Aug. 29, 1963 INVENTOR David C. Persyn United States Patent O.F

3,225,442 TONSORIAL INSTRUMENT David C. Per-syn, 9108 Seymour Road, Swartz Creek, Mich.

Filed Aug. 29, 1963, Ser. No. 305,382 Claims. (Cl. 30-2335) This invention relates to the tonsorial art more comrnonely known as barbering, and more particularly to that instrument used in the art, the common name of Which is shears.

While the instruments used in this art have naturally been improved upon as the science a-dvances, there has been a lag in the development of certain forms of instruments, n'amely instruments that are entirely hand operated since this is fast becoming an electronic age, the effect of which in this art has been use of electrically operated clippers, razors, and the like.

While electric clippers have, to a large extent, replaced the hand operated shears, no one has yet produced an electric or manually operated device that will automatically lift the hair to be cut, and lifting must be done particularly when the hair is long and has a tendency to lie down flat on the head.

It is with this thought in mind that the principal object of this invention was conceived, namely, to provide a tonsorial instrument (Speaking in a technical sense) that will automatically lift the hair and hold the same upright while it is being cutV Another object of this invention is to provide a tonsorial instrument that will both lift and cut the hair at the same time, and still not be any larger, when viewed from the top, than any other barber shears.

Another object of this invention is to provide a tonsorial instrument that is entirely manually operated without the use of electrical or other sometimes troublesome mechanisms.

Another object of this invention is to provide a tonsorial instrument that can be equipped with a second hair lifter, if so desired, as well as the necessary cutting blades.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a tonsorial instrument that can be used by any barber for lifting and cutting hair without special training on how to operate the same.

Other and further objects and advantages of this tonsorial instrument will be hereinafter described, and the novel features thereof defined in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a top view of this invention.

FIGURE 2 is a side view of this invention.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIGURE 1.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

Having reference to the drawing in detail, there is generally indicated by the character 7 a tonsorial instrument embodying my invention. The instrument includes a pair of barber's shears indicated in the appended drawing by the reference numeral 8 and having a moving blade 9 having a shank 10 and a thumb grip 11. A still blade 12 having a shank 13 and a finger grip 14 with a finger brace 15 are rotatably Secured to the aforesaid moving blade 9 by means of the pivot 16 as clearly shown in FIGURE 1 of the drawing. FIGURE 2 clearly illustrates the side view of this invention which better shows the 3,225,442 Patentecl Dec. 28, 1965 ICC relationship of the above described shears to the first hair lifter 17 which comprises two blades 18 and 19, each one of which is provided with a plurality of equally spaced and parallel U-shaped recesses 20 that extend the full length of each one of the aforesaid blades of the lifter 17 and oppose a similar recess in the other blade. Each recess is space-d between the plurality of arms 21, each arm having a dull, rounded end 22, as one can see on examination of FIGURE 1 of the drawing. Arms 21 of blades 18 and 19 are sloped in opposite directions normal to the plane of the blades so as to partially overlap and to form from recesses 20 a plurality of completely enclosed apertures, each adapted to hold upright a tuft of hair, when the blades are closed. The hair lifting blade 18 has one end extending backward beyond its boss 23 to form an arm 24 that terminates in a vertically disposed rod 25 that projects upward through a hollow supporting lug 26 that is formed at right angle from the shank 10 of the aforesaid moving blade 9 of the shears 8. The aforesaid vertically disposed rod 25 is properly held in place in the elongated opening 28 in the aforesaid lug 26 by means of a coil spring 27 retained within the lug. The hair lifting blade 19 also has a boss from which extends an arm and other members identical to that just described for the first mentioned hair lifting arm. The last mentioned mechanism is not shown in FIGURE 2 of the drawing since it is directly behind the first mentioned mechanism and therefore is visible only in part in the top view, FIGURE 1, where like parts have like reference numbers.

The hair lifting mechanism that has just been described is adjustably supported and connected to the shears 8 by means of the following mechanism which consists of a vertically disposed post 29 that is provided with a scalloped edge 30 and which projects upward through the hair lifter support member 31 that is fabricated from sheet stock for reasons of lightness, an important factor in anyi instrument that is held and operated by one hand. Support member 31 consists of an upper plate 32 and a lower plate 33, to which one end 34 of the aforesaid upper plate is bent downward and secured by a weld or any other suitable means. Both the aforesaid upper and lower plates 32 and 33 are provided with an opening indicated by the reference number 35 in the upper plate. Post 29 projects upward through both of the openings in support member 31 to which it is Secured by means of a lock block 36 having a spherical headed lock 37 having a horizontally disposed shank 38 that passes through the centrally located opening in the end of the tubular cup 39, in which is located a compression spring 40, that assures positive engagement of the aforesaid spherical head in the predetermined recess of the scalloped edge 30 of post 29, since the spherical headed lock and its associated parts are enclosed within the lock block 36. The aforesaid spherical headed lock 37 can, of course, be disengaged from any portion of the scalloped edge 30 by means of the knurled knob 41 that is secured to the rear end of the shank 38, as clearly shown in FIGURE 3 of the appended drawing. It will be noted that blades 18v and 19 of the hair lifter are arranged to be completely closed while cutting blades 9 and 12 are still partly open, as best shown in FIGURE 1.

Although it has not been mentioned before, the aforesaid vertically disposed supporting member 29 has its lower end terminating in a horizontal member 42 with which it is integral. The outer end of the horizontal member 42 has an opening through which vertically passes the lower end of the pin 43 while the same pivot 16, that swingably secures the moving and still blades of the shears 8 together, also passes through an opening in the extended end 44 of the lower plate 33 of the hair lifter support member 31.

An intermediate or second hair lifter 45 may be provided, having identical parts and mechanisms as that of the first mentioned and already described hair lifter 17, and for this reason the identical parts of both the hair lifter and its supporting structure are characterized by the same numbers as are the already described like parts of this novel invention. The only exception to this is that the extended end 41 of the lower plate 33 of the hair lifter support member 31 is Secured to the two blades 18 and 19 by means of the pin 46, as clearly shown in FIG- URE 2 of the accompanying drawing, where it is also seen that the Operating arm of this portion of the invention is indicated by the reference numeral 47 that terminates in an enlarged end 48, having a vertically disposed passage through which extends the previously described rod 25.

It is, of course, realized that this novel invention of mine can be successfully used without the second described and illustrated hair lifter 45, Which, like the first described and illustrated lifter 17, is adjustable vertically on the supporting member 29.

Although it has not been previously mentioned, the vertical movement of the aforesaid vertically disposed rod25 is adjustable by means of the amount of compression applied to the coiled spring 27 by its holding screw 49 in the end of the already described supporting lug 26. This unique adjustment of this part of the invention is fully illustrated in FIGURE 4 of the appended drawing.

It will be particularly noted that arms 21 and the ends 22 thereof are unsharpened, so as not to cut the hair upon which they are closed. Instead, when blades 18 and 19 are closed, hair is seized, raised, and held upright in small tufts within recesses 20 and thus presented for cutting in an upstanding position along the axis of closure of cutting blades 9 and 12. By loosening knob 41 to disengage support member 31 from post 30, moving the support member upward or downward upon the post to the desired position, and thereafter tightening the knob to again engage the support member and post, cutting blades 9 and 12 may be spaced any desired distance from hair lifter blades 18 and 19. This allows the barber to cut the hair to any desired length. When the hair is to be cut quite long, the intermediate hair lifter 45 should also be employed to support in upright position the upper position of the hair thus raised into position for cutting.

In operation, with cutting blades 9 and 12 positioned the desired distance from hair lifting blades 18 and 19, and with the second or intermediate hair lifter 45 included in the assembly if desired, the barber manually holds and opens shears 8 in the usual manner. As shanks and 13 open they force rods 25, and hence arms 24 and 47, outwardly, opening hair lifter blades 18 and 19 and the blades of the intermediate hair lifter 45. The hair lifter blades 18 and 19, and those of intermediate hair lifter 45 if employed, are then placed in position flanking the portion of hair to be cut As the barber closes Shanks 10 and 13 in the usual manner, the blades of both the hair lifters and of the shears close together until the hair lifter blades are closed, as best shown in FIGURE 1. When the blades of the hair lifter close they grasp, raise, and hold upright in tufts the hair to be cut by the cutting blades, thus positioning the hair to be cut. Springs 27 permit further closing movement of Shanks 10 and 13, however, and cutting blades 9 *and 12 are thus closed thereafter to cut the hair held upright by the hair lifters.

It is to be understood that changes may be made in not only the shape and size of this invention, but also in the detailed construction of the tonsorial instrument and the invention will still fall within the spirit and intent of the appended claims.

Having described one embodiment of my invention of a tonsorial instrument, what I now claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A tonsorial instrument of the character described, comprising a shears to the underside of which is Secured two hair lifters in vertical parallel spaced relation to one another, and vertically adjustable by means of springloaded mechanism, each one of the said two hair lifters embodying a pair of blades, each blade of which has a scalloped edge in the form of a plurality of equally spaced and parallel U-shaped recesses that extend the full length of the blade, and each recess is spaced between one of a plurality of arms having a rounded outer end, each blade being connected to one of the Shanks of the shears by means of spring-loaded mechanism, and the blades of each hair lifter being so connected to the said shanks that the blades will be closed When the said shears are in an open position.

2. In combination with a pair of shears, a hair lifter having arms and a pair of pivotally connected blades sloped in opposite directions and overlapping when closed, a plurality of recesses in the mating edges of said blades, each recess spaced from the adjacent recess by an arm having a dull, rounded end, each recess and arm of each blade being positioned opposite to a similar recess and arm in the other said blade to form when said blades are closed a plurality of completely enclosed apertures each adapted to grip, raise, and hold upright a tuft of hair, means supporting said hair lifter upon and in spaced, parallel arrangement with said shears and With the pivots and lines of closure of said hair lifter and shears in alignment, and connecting means operatively connecting the arms of said hair lifter to the shanks of the blades of said shears and adapted to close the blades of said hair lifter first in sequence with the blades of said shears upon closure of the shanks of said shears, to grip, raise, andhold tufts of hair upright and presented for cutting along the line of closure of the blades of said shears.

3. In combination with a pair of shears having blades, a pivot, and rearwardly extending shanks, a hair lifter having blades, a pivot, and rearwardly extending arms and adapted to grasp and hold upright tufts of hair in position to be cut by said shears, and means supporting said shears and hair lifter in spaced, parallel arrangement with their pivots and lines of closure of their blades in alignment, means for closing the blades of said hair lifter first in sequence with closure of the blades of said shears comprising, a hollow lug extending outwardly at a right angle from each shank of said shears within the plane of said shanks and having a horizontally elongated opening extending vertically therethrough, a pair of rods borne by said arms of said hair lifter extending vertically through said elongated openings, respectively, and a coil spring disposed Within each said lug, yieldingly urging said blades of said hair lifter to a more closed position than the blades of said shears when the blades of said hair lifter are open, and yieldingly permitting the blades of w said shears to close after said blades of said hair lifter have been closed.

4. In combination with a pair of shears and a hair lifter the arms of which are operatively connected to the Shanks of said shears, means for supporting said hair lifter and shears in adjustably spaced, parallel arrangement with the pivots and the lines of closure of the blades of said hair lifter and shears in alignment comprising, a post having a plurality of indentations therein and supported upon said hair lifter normal to the plane of the blades of said hair lifter, a support member borne by said shears and having an aperture adapted to receive said post, and means for releasably engaging said support member with a selected indentation of said post.

5. In combination with the device of claim 4, a second hair lifter intermediate said first hair lifter and said shears I 5 6 and having arms operatively connected to the shanks of References Cited by the Examiner said sheare, a second snpport member borne by said sec- UNITED STATES PATENTS ond halr hfter and havmg an aperture adapted to recelve said post therethrough, and means borne by said second 595,470 12/1897 Gqldflef 2335 2,272,580 2/1942 Phllhps 30-195 support member for releasably engaging said second sup- 5 rt br 'th th ltd'dtt' of a'd :3st mem e Wl am er se ec e m en a m S 1 WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner. 

4. IN COMBINATION WITH A PAIR OF SHEARS AND A HAIR LIFTER THE ARMS OF WHICH ARE OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO THE SHANKS OF SAID SHEARS, MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAID HAIR LIFTER AND SHEARS IN ADJUSTABLY SPACED, PARALLEL ARRANGEMENT WITH THE PIVOTS AND THE LINES OF CLOSURE OF THE BLADES OF SAID HAIR LIFTER AND SHEARS IN ALIGNMENT COMPRISING, A POST HAVING A PLURALITY OF INDENTATIONS THEREIN AND SUPPORTED UPON SAID HAIR LIFTER NORMAL TO THE PLANE OF THE BLADES OF SAID HAIR LIFTER, A SUPPORT MEMBER BORNE BY SAID SHEARS AND HAVING AN APERTURE ADAPTED TO RECEIVE SAID POST, AND MEANS FOR RELEASABLY ENGAGING SAID SUPPORT MEMBER WITH A SELECTED INDENTATION OF SAID POST. 